Don't Ask, Don't Tell
by RnBwRvrGrl
Summary: Chloe has a problem that no one notices at first. Will her friends be able to save her before it’s too late?
1. Prologue: The Problem

Title: Don't Ask, Don't Tell  
Author: Sparkle  
Email: RnbwRvrGrl@cherriemail.com  
Rating: PG  
Content: Language (in later chapters)  
Characters: Riley Carlson (Mary-Kate) and Chloe Carlson (Ashley)  
Summary: Chloe has a problem that no one notices at first. Will her friends be able to save her before it's too late?  
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from the show So Little Time. They all own themselves and Dualstar owns the rights to the show. I don't even claim to know anyone from the show. I don't make any money off this. I do it because I like it. Please don't sue me. 

**~*~  
****Prologue**

"Morning, Chloe." My over exuberant sister chirped as she entered into the kitchen. I didn't say anything as I indulged myself into my cereal, stuffing my mouth with it just to have an excuse to remain quiet. 

Riley looked at me with a hint of confusion in her eyes, but I pretended to ignore it as I went on with my morning ritual. She shrugged her shoulders and went to the fridge rummaging through it unceremoniously, trying to find anything to fill that bottomless put she called a stomach. I didn't understand how my sister could eat so much, yet stay so thin. I guess that was one of those questions of nature that never really got answered. 

"Are you okay, Chloe?" She finally asked me as she sat across from me with a cold slice of pizza from last night. I eyed the pizza warily, and then caught my sister's eyes. 

"Yes, everything's fine, _Riley._" I said haughtier than I had intended. Riley opened her mouth to say something, then quickly closed it again. 

Yes, please, just leave me alone. I said to myself as she took a big bite out of her pizza and chewed slowly. I looked at my perfect sister and felt my own appetite leave. I stood up from my chair and walked over to the sink dumping the contents of my bowl into the sink. I started to leave the kitchen. 

"Chloe -" I heard my sister say behind me. 

"I'm fine." I snapped at her without turning to look at her. I could only imagine the look of hurt that had engulfed her face. 

"Goodmorning, dear." My mother Macy said as she walked hurriedly around me, not really seeing me. "I'm going to be late for work." 

Mom, she was always worried about work and things like that. Sometimes I wondered if she truly knew that Riley and I existed. I felt my eyes sting a little. I couldn't cry; I would mess up my mascara. 

I quickly went to the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I turned the water on in the sink and looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't like what I saw. Everyone thought that I was little miss flawless, but what they didn't know is that I had went up yet another pants size. How perfect was that? 

I walked almost shakily towards the toilet and opened it with one hand. You can't chicken out now, Chloe. I said trying to ease my rising tensions. I stuck one finger down my throat, just like Jessica had told me. I instantly began to gag, but nothing came up. I continued forcing my finger down my throat until tears came to my eyes. Finally, everything I had ate came up, coating my finger in a rancid goo. 

I walked back over the sink. The tears were still burning my eyes. I blinked them back the best I could while I washed my hands. Finally, I looked at myself in the mirror and gave myself a satisfied smile. I could feel the pounds dropping already. 

**~*~**

**notes:** Thank you, Digital Tempest for letting me use this idea for my own story, and thank you for giving me feedback on this chapter. 


	2. Chapter 01: The Solution

**~*~  
Chapter One **

  
  
_-two weeks earlier- _  
  
"Why won't you just slide on?" I grumbled to myself as I struggled to pull on a pair of my jeans.   
  
When I finally pulled them up, I had to lay on my bed to fasten them. They were entirely too tight, and I had just bought them a week ago. They must have shrunk in the wash, or either I had gained weight. I continued to grumble as I pulled the jeans off.   
  
"Chloe, come on! You're going to be late." I heard Riley call through the door. I heard her start stomping away from the door.   
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I answered as I quickly pulled on a pair of khaki capris and slipped my feet into my straw sandals.   
  
I pulled my hair back and secured it with a barrette, picked up my backpack and purse, and hurried to the kitchen where I was sure to find Riley.   
  
"The princess has made her debut." Manuelo teased as I entered the kitchen. Riley let out a small chuckle.   
  
"Haha, very funny, you guys." I said getting a cup from the cabinet and pouring myself a glass of orange juice.   
  
"Have you gained a little weight, Chloe?" My mother asked rushing into the kitchen and grabbing a bagel.   
  
"Morning to you, too, Mom." I said sarcastically. "Isn't it normal for girls my age to have their weight fluctuate? I read that in Seventeen."   
  
"Fluctuate. Those are pretty big words you're using there, Chloe." Riley joked. I shot her an unamused look.   
  
"You're right. It is." My mom said biting into her bagel. "You girls should have seen me at your age. My weight was constantly changing."   
  
So, my jeans hadn't shrunk. I was gaining weight. I put my cup of orange juice down disgusted at my weight gain. I couldn't wait to get to school that day. Maybe, it would take my mind off this.   
  
I went through my first class distracted. My mom's words still weighed heavily on my mind. After class, I trudged to my locker slowly. I saw Larry walking towards me. I knew exactly what he was going to ask.   
  
"Hey, Chloe. Have you seen Riley, anywhere?" He asked me, hopefully. I started shaking my head slowly.   
  
"Nope, I haven't seen her since we came to school." I said monotonously. I wanted to add that she didn't want anything from him besides friendship. Why should I be the only one miserable today, but I held my tongue.   
  
"Packing on the pounds, aren't you, Chloe?" He asked me suddenly. I looked at him surprised.   
  
"No," I snapped angrily at him. "And even if I had, what does that have to do with you finding Riley?"   
  
Larry held up his hands in peace. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to say you looked bad or something. I should have never said anything. I know how defensive you girls can be about your weight."   
  
"Bye, Larry." I said slamming my locker shut and walking away from him before he could say anything else.   
  
If Larry and my mom had noticed, I wondered how many other people noticed. Were they all talking about me behind my back, saying how fat I was getting?   
  
"That was so rude of him." I heard a voice say behind me. I turned around surprised to see Jessica Carson, one of the most popular girls in my school. "Some people have no manners."   
  
"I know." I said quietly. Jessica hadn't even said more than two words to me before this.   
  
"I can help you. I know just the thing to make you lose those extra unwanted pounds." She said confidently.   
  
"How?" I asked skeptically. How was she suppose to help me? She was already perfect. She motioned for me to follow her to an empty corner of the hallway.   
  
"Make yourself throw up?" She said without pausing. She looked around the hallway to see if anyone heard her.   
  
I cringed at the thought. "Isn't that a little gross?" I said my stomach boiling at the thought of it.   
  
"It's not if you want to lose weight." She said raising an eyebrow at me. "How do you think I stay so skinny?"   
  
"I don't know..." I said trailing off. It seemed so disgusting, but if it kept Jessica skinny, why not me?   
  
"You can eat all you want because you'll throw it all back up, and you won't even feel like you're empty." She said as if she were trying to reassure me. But what she didn't know was that she didn't have to reassure me. She had drawn me in hook, line, and sinker. 

~*~

  
  
**notes:** I own the character Jessica Carson. I just wanted to make note of that. 


	3. Chapter 02: New Friendships

**~*~   
Chapter Two **

  
  
It was absolutely disgusting, but I had to do it to stay skinny, or at least that's what I told myself. I literally closed my eyes every time I went into the bathroom and made myself throw up. I was somewhat embarrassed that I, Chloe Carlson, had resorted to making myself throw up my food, but whatever did the trick...   
  
"Chloe?" I heard my sister, Riley, say as she walked into the door of our bedroom where I was laying quietly on my bed.   
  
"Yes?" I replied annoyed. I could detect a sense of worry in her tone. What was worried about? She wasn't the one who was going up a pants size every two weeks.   
  
That bothered me about my sister. I knew that I shouldn't take my anger out on her just because she could eat and eat and never get fat. I tried to brighten up as my sister treaded cautiously into our room.   
  
"Well, Cammie and I were talking about going out for pizza later on. I was just wondering if you wanted to come with us." Riley asked me quietly.   
  
I knew she was only acting like this because I've been going through some really bad mood swings for the last couple of weeks. I've been short-tempered with everyone lately.   
  
"Sure," I said trying to sound as happy as possible, but silently I was thinking about how many calories I would be consuming by eating that fatty pizza.   
  
"Really?" Riley asked excitedly. She acted as if I had been a complete ogre to them these past couple of weeks.   
  
"Yeah, I think it'll be fun."   
  
"And maybe it'll cheer up your annoying mean streak you've been having lately." My sister joked. I didn't say anything as she exited the room, but I rolled my eyes at her back.   
  
A couple of hours later, I was sitting silently in the pizzeria silently cursing Cammie for being so beautiful and thin. She gobbled down her pizza without any concern for her figure while I picked at my pizza begrudgingly.   
  
"Are you okay, Chloe?" Cammie asked between big bites of her pepperoni pizza.   
  
I plastered a fake smile on my face. "Nothing, I'm just not very hungry." I lied. The pizza smelled so good, and I wanted to devour it down. But I just couldn't.   
  
"She hasn't been eating much lately," Riley said taking a sip on her soda. I shot her a warning look, but she either didn't see it or just ignored it. "Ever since mom and Larry said she was gaining weight, she's been dieting. I don't know why she would let something Larry said effect her."   
  
"Chloe, if you're happy with yourself, you shouldn't change a thing about you." Cammie said. T_hat was good advice coming from someone who's perfect._ I thought bitterly.   
  
And truth was, I wasn't happy with myself. I nodded as Cammie went on and on about the joys of loving one's self. I listened to everything half-heartedly while drinking the mineral water that I requested. I really didn't need a lecture from her.   
  
I heard laughter as the door to the pizzeria opened. In walked Jessica Carson and her entourage of friends. She looked directly at me and smiled. I smiled back at her, feeling like Jessica and I had something in common now. She sauntered over to our table.   
  
"Oh God, what does that broomstick want?" Riley asked, and Cammie snorted. They were just jealous that Jessica was beautiful.   
  
"Hey Chloe, Riley... Cammie," Jessica said. She waved her friends on to a nearby booth. Riley and offered her a muttered hello.   
  
"Hey Jessica." I said loudly wanting everyone to see that she was talking to me. I smiled at her broadly. I couldn't believe she was talking to me again.   
  
"Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to join me and my friends at our table, Chloe." Jessica said pointedly. I saw Riley and Cammie both frown out the corner of my eye.   
  
"Sure." I said excitedly, not caring that she hadn't invited Riley or Cammy. Jessica nodded and walked over to her table.   
  
"Chloe, what are you doing?" Riley hissed. "You're just going to ditch us to go hang out with Jessica and her friends."   
  
"Don't take it personally, Riley. Once I'm popular, I'll make sure that you get in with the popular kids too." I said quickly.   
  
I walked over to the table where Jessica patted a seat right beside her. "I hope you like pepperoni and mushrooms cause we'll be eating a lot of it." She said as she winked knowingly at me. 

~*~


	4. Chapter 03: The Changes

**~*~  
Chapter Three **

  
  
"Chloe, you've lost a little weight, haven't you?" Manuelo asked me a few weeks later. I beamed at him and nodded proudly.   
  
"Yes, I have." I said happily.   
  
I had been hanging out with Jessica and her friends since the night at the pizzeria. I was now going over to Jessica's house to workout. She had state of the art workout equipment at her house. I usually ran on the treadmill while she did crunches. Jessica had also got me in the habit of drinking water. Water fills you up allowing you to eat less.   
  
"I knew that we'd be good friends," she said to me one day at her house. "I could see it in your eyes that you would understand."   
  
Riley breezed past me just then bringing me out of my thoughts. "Bye, Manuelo. I'm going to school now." She said quickly.   
  
"What about breakfast?" Manuelo asked.   
  
"I'll pick something up on the way to school." Riley responded promptly. She didn't say anything to me as she continued on her way out the door.   
  
She hadn't said much of anything to since I started hanging out with Jessica Carson. I followed Riley out the door. "Riley, wait up." I said walking quickly to catch up with her.   
  
"What do you want?" She asked snidely turning to face me. "Shouldn't you be running behind Jessica?"   
  
"Riley, that's not fair." I whined.   
  
"Fair? Let me tell you a thing or two about fair. Not fair is when you ditch your friends to hang out with some popular snob." Riley said sarcastically.   
  
"You're just jealous, Riley." I yelled at her. I heard her let out a sardonic laugh, but she didn't say anything else to me.   
  
I didn't know what else to say right then to my sister, so I just didn't say anything. She rolled her eyes at me, turned, and walked away from me. _Great going, Chloe._ I said to myself.   
  
The rest of the day I was in a snappy mood with everyone. Jessica asked me what was wrong, and I told her about the argument that I had with Riley. She tried to comfort me the best she could saying that Riley just wanted what I had. I decided that Jessica was right; Riley was just jealous, and who could blame her?   
  
I was becoming fast friends with the most popular girl in school, and I was loosing weight quickly. Everything was going my way. I decided right then and there that I wouldn't let Riley's obvious jealousy ruin my good fortune. Jessica and I went out for some burger and fries after school. As I sat there talking and laughing with her I was convinced that I was sitting on top of the world or so I thought…   
  
"Chloe, get up time for school." Mom yelled through the door the next morning. I groaned loudly and rolled over in my bed pulling the sheets over my head. "You're going to be late."   
  
"I don't care. Just leave me alone." I snapped at my mother. I had never spoken to my mother in such a tone before.   
  
"Chloe Carlson, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you get up right this minute," My mother said opening the door roughly.   
  
"I'm sorry, mom." I mumbled, dragging out of the bed. I felt so tired like I hadn't slept at all the night before. My mom gave me a warning glance and left.   
  
I was still very tired by the time I had gotten to school. I didn't know what was wrong with me, but Jessica helped me as usual.   
  
"What's wrong, Chloe?" Jessica asked as I trudged through the crowded school hallways like a zombie.   
  
"I'm really tired." I said simply. Jessica gave me a sympathetic glance and began to rummage through her cluttered purse. She pulled out a clear bottle of little black and yellow pills.   
  
"Here take one of these," she said opening the bottle and putting two of the little pills in my open palm.   
  
"What are these?" I asked, eyeing the pills in my hand warily.   
  
"They're Yellow Jackets. They give you an extra boost of energy. I take two everyday." Jessica said. She saw my look and added, "They're not dangerous. They're like vitamins."   
  
I took her word for it and gobbled the pills down. For the rest of the day, I was wired. I was full of more energy than I had ever been in all my years. This couldn't be so bad, right? 

**~*~**

  
  
**notes:**A good place to go read more Olsen-related fanfiction is at this address: http://www.sweetin.com/cgi-local/messagesummary.pl?olsen 


	5. Chapter 04: Even More Changes

**~*~  
Chapter Four**

Another couple of weeks passed. Riley and I made up, but barely spoke to one another as we use to. I think she still entertained the notion that I had betrayed her somehow by becoming friends with Jessica. I was also still 'dieting', but now more and more people were starting to take noticed.

"You're looking exceptionally skinny." Cammie said to me on one occasion. I smiled smugly at her and let her bask in my glory.

"Thanks," I responded snottily before walking away from her. 

My attitude changed completely. I seemed to be always moody, and I was always tired. I was popping Yellow Jackets that Jessica supplied to me left and right. My hair had started falling out in small clumps, and I found the least little bump cause me to have bruises. This sort of scared me, but I put it all off on stress.

Now, I had stopped controlling my food portions. I was eating whatever I want when I wanted it. I didn't have to worry about gaining weight. I had a simple solution for that, but I still struggled with a love/hate relationship with food. Once I had eaten to my heart's desire I always felt guilty.

One day after a particular greedy day I was having at lunch, I went to the bathroom. I checked and made sure there was no one in any of the stalls. I walked in one and started making myself throw up. I heard the clatter of shoes and the sink turned on. I hope whoever it was would leave quickly.

"Are you okay in there?" A familiar voice asked knocking on the door. It was my sister, Riley. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." I answered. 

"Chloe?" She quizzed. "Are you sure that you're okay? Do I need to get the school nurse?"

I could hear a note of worry in her timbre. "No, I'm fine. I think it's something I ate." I said as I heaved again. 

"Are you sure you don't need me to get the nurse?" Riley asked again. She was quickly starting to annoy me.

"No! Now leave me the hell alone!" I snapped at Riley. I heard her gasp and felt a smug pride in myself for standing up for myself.

Even thought Riley and I were cordial to each other these days, every little thing she did annoyed the hell out of me.  I lost my temper easily with her (and everyone else) these days.

"Chloe…" She started. I was prepared to tell her to shut up again, but I decided the best thing would be to ignore her. "You're my sister, and I'm worried about you."

That was all she said, and then she walked out the bathroom leaving me alone again to my task at hand. I felt a twinge of guilt at having snapper at Riley. We use to be so close. I could tell her everything. Now, I was letting my weight come between us. I walked out of the stall I occupied once I was finished. I washed my hands and took two more Yellow Jackets for energy.

I looked at myself in the mirror. There were dark circles under my eyes and my hair look limp and dull. I put on a little more cover-up and brushed my hair to try and give it a little life.

"There's nothing wrong with me." I reassured myself as I turned from the mirror and left the bathroom.

**~*~**

  
  
**notes: **Thanks again to my ever present beta reader and friend, Digital Tempest. Without her I wouldn't have had the courage to start posting and writing. And thank you for letting me play with this idea. I sped up the process cause I'll be ending this in the next 6 or so chapters. 


	6. Chapter 05: Questions

**~*~  
Chapter Five**

"Chloe, are you sick?" My dad asked me a couple of weeks later. I looked at him, wondering what the hell he was talking about.

"No, why would you think that?" I asked innocently. I nibbled cautiously on a carrot stick. I had binged on junk food the night before, and I was tying to make up for it by eating light that day.

"You look a little skinny. Are you eating okay?" He asked me. I swallowed hard as I silently nodded my head. "I think maybe I or your mother should take you to see a doctor."

I snapped my head up and looked at my dad horrified. "No, I don't need to see a doctor." I protested vicariously. 

"You're losing way too much weight. I think we should set you up an appointment." My dad insisted.

"Dad, I'm fine. Just get off my back!" I yelled and stormed out of the living room. When I got to my room, realization set in. I couldn't believe that I had yelled at my dad like that. 

I felt under my bed till I found a bag of Oreos. _There goes your light eating day. I said to myself as I began to scarf down the delicious cookies. After I finished the whole bag, my stomach began to rumble painfully. I ran from the room and into the bathroom. _

I cringed over the toilet and began to throw up the contents of my stomach. I hadn't even made myself do it; it just naturally happened. Suddenly, I heard the door open.

"Oh my God, Chloe what are you doing to yourself?" My sister yelled. I turned to look at her.

"Get the hell out!" I screamed, standing weakly. I walked toward her and pushed her violently out the door causing her to trip over her feet. I didn't even ask her if she was okay as I slammed the door. "Don't you people know how to knock?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in there. You should have locked the door." Riley called through the bathroom door. 

I splashed water on my face and walked out the bathroom. I didn't bother looking at myself; I already knew that I looked like crap. Riley was waiting in our bedroom, sitting on her bed. I plopped down on my bed as I did a lot these days. 

"Chloe, we need to talk." Riley said in her annoying motherly tone. She didn't know how much like our mother she could sound at times.

"About what?" I asked. You could literally hear the acid dripping from my tongue. I wasn't in the mood to talk, but I might as well humor her.

"Don't play dumb. You know about what. I can't believe you're doing that to yourself." Riley said disgustedly. She couldn't even make herself say 'throw-up'.

"Spare me the after school special lecture," I said turning away from her. "It's my life, and I'll do what I want with it."

"You could die if you keep doing that to yourself. Why are you doing it?" She wailed at me.

"You wouldn't understand." I murmured. That was the truth. She would never understand my feelings, or what I was going through. "So, just get out, and you'd better not tell mom or dad."

"You need help, Chloe. You don't realize how much at risk you really are. Where did you learn this? From Jessica?" She asked. 

"None of your business. Why don't you worry about your own pathetic little life. You're just jealous of how I look." I said bitingly.

Riley scoffed at me. What was so funny? "What is there to be jealous of? Have you looked in the mirror lately?" She asked me as she walked across the room to the door.

I was aware of how I looked, and she was absolutely right. Who in their right mind would want to look as unhealthy as I did?

**~*~**

  
  
**notes****: **I know I've been neglecting their father. Sorry, my b. I'll try to put him in more as the fic progresses.


	7. Chapter 07: Unexpected Surprise

** ~*~  
Chapter Six**

Another couple of weeks went by and I could barely fit in my clothes now. No, I wasn't too fat; I was too small. I was literally wearing my jeans with all my belts in the last hole, and I was still tugging on my pants throughout the day. You know what the really sad part was? I still thought that I was insanely overweight. I would look in the mirror and see a fat little girl. Odd, I know considering I wasn't fat from the beginning. My self-image was warped, and I was completely caught up in it. 

No one could say anything to me at this point. I was a real bitch to everyone. Don't cringe, does my language offend you. I'm just telling it like it is. Anyway, people were beginning to notice that I was losing a lot of weight. Now, they were really whispering about me at school. Jessica told me to just ignore them. They were jealous because I was popular and beautiful, and like a fool, I believed her.

That's when my parents hit me with unexpected news.

"Chloe, we're taking you to see a doctor." My mom said plainly as I pushed my at my food with my fork. I instantaneously dropped my fork. The clatter of the utensil against my plate resounded through the stock-still room. I peered at my mother with frighten eyes. 

"Why? There's nothing wrong with me." I protested my voice barely higher than a squeak as my throat tightened.

"Honey, you're losing too much weight. We're all worried about you." Mom said. Riley bit her lip and concentrated on her plate. 

"Mom, you shouldn't worry about me. You have a company to run." I said bitterly, stabbing at a string bean.

"Nothing is more important than my girls. Besides, Manuelo is skilled enough to take are of the company for one day." My mom said cheerfully.

I knew my mom's mind was made up, and there was nothing I could do about it. What did I have to be ashamed of? I wasn't really hurting myself, was I? So, why was I so worried?

**~*~**

**Notes: Sorry it took so long to update. I've been extremely busy these past couple of weeks. This is extremely short, but I will update soon. **


End file.
